Woman That Sees A Strange Package In An Airport Trash Can Decides She Can’t Stay Silent

Airports take security very seriously. They have to! It’s the vital job of TSA agents to ensure that the items people bring onto commercial airlines don’t pose any kind of threat. Sometimes, however, people are unfortunately forced to discard things that have sentimental value due to the safety constraints.

While Florida resident Ivelise Hernandez was waiting in line to board a flight, she saw a TSA agent and passenger arguing over an object the passenger wanted to bring on the plane. After the dispute, the passenger reluctantly got rid of his item, but Ivelise knew there was something important about it. So she formed a plan…

It was a sunny afternoon in Tampa, Florida when Ivelise Hernandez arrived at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport. She was catching a flight to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but little did she know, this particular airport experience would lead her on a wild goose chase around the country.

Ivelise’s boyfriend Rico Bankston drove her that afternoon, but instead of dropping her off and leaving, he accompanied her while she waited in the airport’s security line; he knew the lines could be painfully long and slow moving.

The airport was incredibly crowded, but soon enough, Ivelise found her gate. The security line was taking far longer than normal because one traveler was attempting to take something the TSA agents refused to allow.

The stranger was a few people ahead of Ivelise and Rico. TSA agents were rummaging through his stuff, and everything checked out except for a small white box. The man was nearly in tears, pleading with them to let him board with it, but the agents wouldn’t budge. Ivelise knew there was something meaningful inside.

Ivelise and Rico both felt terrible as they watched the stranger throw the box away in the garbage. So terrible, in fact, that Ivelise instructed Rico to rummage through the bin to see what the commotion was all about. She needed to know what was inside.

Throughout the entire journey to Pittsburgh, Ivelise couldn’t stop thinking about the scene she witnessed at the airport. The passenger’s teary eyes tugged at her heartstrings; she hoped Rico was able to locate whatever it was he threw away…

As soon as Ivelise landed in Pittsburgh, she called Rico and asked him about the mysterious package from the garbage. As luck would have it, Rico recovered the box with ease, but he waited until Ivelise returned home to open it.

When Ivelise finally returned home, she couldn’t contain her excitement about the contents of the box. Rico pulled out the package, the couple sat down in their bedroom, and they opened it up…

They stared down at the object inside and slowly pulled it out, careful not to drop and break it. It was a snow globe, and there was a picture frame inside. This was clearly a sentimental gift meant for someone, and Ivelise wasn’t just going to accept the fact someone lost something so special.

Ivelise immediately put up a Facebook post explaining what happened. She didn’t have an exorbitant amount of friends, but she hoped maybe her message could gain some traction. Amazingly, it did, and soon enough, someone called her who was willing to help.

It was an employee at the store Things Remembered in the mall near where Ivelise and Rico lived! They recognized the particular style of the snow globe and were able to pinpoint the customer who recently purchased it. So Ivelise attempted to return the globe…

Almost immediately after Ivelise rang the doorbell of the snow globe’s owner, she was greeted with the smiling face of Linda Modry. and she swept Ivelise into her arms to thank her for tracking her down.

Linda explained that she purchased the globe as a gift for her granddaughter, Katie, and it was Katie’s father Michael who was forced to throw out the present at the airport. Linda immediately called Michael and told him the incredible news.

Linda told Ivelise her granddaughter’s birthday was right around the corner, and the globe was supposed to be a special present. But, it wasn’t just any birthday, there was a particular reason why this globe meant a lot…

Katie was actually adopted, so the date inscribed on the silver base wasn’t just a birthday, it was the day Katie was officially welcomed into the Modry family! Linda wanted to give her the globe as a reminder that she was loved by everyone around her.

Ivelise was in tears after talking to Linda about the globe. The story behind the globe ran so much deeper than she ever imagined. She not only returned a gift to the rightful owner, but she was also was going to make a young girl’s birthday so much more special.

Linda and her husband couldn’t thank Ivelise enough for her selfless action. Linda even put Ivelise on the phone with Michael, the man she and Rico saw at the airport. Little Katie even joined the conversation to give her an enormous “thank you!”

After chatting for a while, Linda posed for a wonderful photo with Ivelise and Rico. This was an interaction she’d remember for the rest of her life, and Ivelise and Rico returned home with the knowledge they made a family birthday special again!

It takes a caring person to notice someone having a difficult time — such as Michael at the airport — and to follow up on the situation knowing it will put a smile on that someone’s face. Ivelise was so overcome with joy when she finally came face to face with Linda!